Shoe fastener



Jan. 27, 1959 s, Is 2,870,508

SHOE FASTENER Filed Nov. 12, 1957 sum .5 ZUBR/S IINVENTOR.

United States Patent SHOE FASTENER Stanley Znbris, Huntington Woods, Mich.

Application November 12, 1957, Serial No. 695,671 3 Claims. (c1. 24-207 This invention relates to a shoe fastener and. more particularly to shoe fastening devices to take the place of shoelaces.

It is the object of the present invention to secure upon the front of the shoe upper upon each side of the open ing therein a pair of clamping plates with flanged means thereon together with a removable gripping plate adapted to slidably and interlockingly engage said flanged means for drawing together the open edge portions of the shoe upper.

It is the further object of the present invention to incorporate within the gripping plate a series of opposed elongated pairs of locking flanges, the flanges in each pair being spaced apart different distances to provide an adjustability factor in securing the shoe upon the users foot.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe with the flanged locking strips secured upon the shoe upper in spaced relation.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe with the flanged gripping plate in position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the gripping plate shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the pair of opposed flanged locking strips adapted for mounting upon the shoe upper in spaced relation.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view thereof.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a conventional shoe whose forward top edge portions 11 of the upper are arranged in spaced relation in a conventional manner, and which have formed in vertical rows inwardly of their margins a series of conventional shoe string openings not shown. Mounted in substantially parallel relation upon said upper along the edge portions of the opening therein and in spaced relation are a pair of locking strips 12 of metal or other suitable material. These strips are shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 5 and 6 and each have formed therethrough in a row of series of elongated transverse openings 13.

The strips 12 are respectively secured to the corresponding free edge portions 11 of the shoe upper as by the rivets 14 or other suitable fasteners which are adapted to extend through the conventional lace openings on said upper.

Slots 13 are elongated in order that'the strips 12 may accommodate different shoelace opening locations, and

register therewith to permit securing of the strips to theshoe upper.

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Each of the strips 12 terminate at their inner marginal edges in the upwardly and outwardly inclined elongated locking flanges 15. The upper and lower ends of strips 12 have the transverse apertures 16 therethrough for use in the manner hereafter described.

There is provided a slidable gripping plate 17 of trans-v verse arcuate form convex upon its exterior, as shown in Fig.- 3 Whose forward end is substantially semicircular at 18 and whose opposite endhas the opposed straight portions 19 and the intermediate depressed portion 20.

Formed upon thesundersurface of gripping plate17 and arranged in parallel spaced relation are a series of pairs of elongated opposed downwardly and inwardly directed locking flanges" or projections 21;22' 'and..-23 which are arranged in sets and which are adapted for interlocking cooperating relation with flanges 15 on strips 12 for drawing the free edge portions of the shoe upper together and for securing the same. The gripping plate accomplishes the same purpose as conventional shoe laces.

The plurality of pairs of locking flanges being spaced apart difierent distances, accordingly provide means for accommodating different widths or sizes of users feet and provide means for drawing up tightly the flange strips 12 depending upon the degree of tightness desired.

In operation gripping plate 17 is arranged directly above strips 12 towards their lower ends with the foot inserted in the shoe, and said plate is projected angu larly upward. One of the pairs of flanges 21 and 22 or 23 cooperatively and interlockingly receives and retainingly engages the elongated flanges 15 as said plate is slid upwardly to the relative position shown in Fig. 2.

A pair 'of spaced stop screws 24 adjustably project through rear portions 19 of plate 17 adjacent the edges thereof and are adapted for cooperative retaining relation with the apertures 16 on strips 12 to prevent downward or upward sliding movement of plate 17.

The screws are partly withdrawn so as not to interfere with assembly. After assembly the screws 24 or equivalent device are manually adjusted to project within strip openings 16 or to otherwise retainingly engage the top edges of strips 12.

The present fastener may be completely disengaged from the shoe for easy withdrawal or for placing the foot within shoe.

The present invention provides adjustable graduations for proper comfort by virtue of the plurality of pairs of gripping flanges 21, 22 and 23 with the flanges of each pair arranged at different distances from each other.

The adjustment may vary from as small as th of an inch span to more than /2, inch span or from a small shoe to a large shoe as from one person to another.

The present locking strips 12 in view of the elongated apertures 13 are universally adapted for use upon a two-hole shoe up to a seven-hole shoe.

The material from which the strips and gripping plate are made may be of metal, fibre or plastic or a combination of materials using the standard colors of shoes or a contrasting color, properly ornamented or initialed to suit the wearer.

Primarily the present fastener consists of a pair of riveted angle locking strips and a removable cap or cover in the nature of a gripping plate having interlockable pairs of gripping flanges and stationary stop means such as a set screw, pin or the like for securing and retaining the gripping plate in the proper position against upward or downward movement during use thereof.

I do not limit myself to the particular shape and form of the strips and gripping plates shown by way of illustration in the drawing and likewise I donot intend to limit myself to the number of pairs of gripping flanges aaropoa 2i, 2?, and 23 or to the particular angle thereof. It is contemplated, however, that the angle of the gripping flanges should correspond With the angle of the strip flanges for proper cooperative interlocking relation.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims Which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A fastener on the spaced edge portions of the upper of a shoe comprising a pair of parallel spaced elongated locking strips, each having a row of spaced apertures therethrough, and mounted upon said upper adjacent said edge portions, fastening means securing said strips to said upper, an elongated upwardly and outwardly extending flange projecting from the inner marginal edge of each strip at an acute angle thereto, an elongated transversely convex gripping plate slidably positioned over said strips, and a series of elongated opposed spaced pairs of downwardly and inwardly extending gripping flanges parallel to said strip flanges, respectively, the gripping flanges of each of said pairs being spaced apart at different distances, one pair of said gripping flanges interlockingly engaging said strip flanges respectively for drawing up and securing said edge portions together.

2. The shoe fastener of claim 1, there being transverse apertures extending through the ends of said strips, and a pair of spaced stop screws adjustably projecting downwardly from the upper rear end of said gripping plate adapted to cooperatively engage with said transverse apertures for limiting relative sliding movement of said gripping plate on said strips.

3. The shoe fastener of claim 1, the apertures in said strips being elongated for adaptation to different spacing of lace openings.

No references cited. 

